13th day of the Emerald Moon, year 1238.
The morning arrived, silent yet sovereign, draped in a golden veil of sunlight. With each passing moment, the first gentle rays pierced through the veil of night like celestial spears, unraveling the shadows that clung stubbornly to the broken stones and silent ruins of the Nameless Domain. Where once only cold darkness reigned, now warmth spilled like honey over jagged walls and crumbling pathways.
Jay rubbed his sleepy eyes as he slowly woke up. He hadn't eaten dinner the night before. Unlike lunch, there was no need to go downstairs for it.
Besides, his mind was already cluttered with the flood of questions that had haunted him since yesterday—too densely packed to allow room for any other thought.
He hadn't slept much either.
Most of the night had been spent interrogating those questions, attempting—futilely—to answer them himself.
Stepping out of his room, he made his way to the bathroom.
Standing before the large mirror, Jay gently slapped his face, as if trying to rouse himself from a lingering dream.
The mirror, mounted above a wide porcelain sink, dominated the sleek bathroom. Resting on the countertop was a small cup that held his toothbrush and a tube of herbal toothpaste—his preferred choice over chemical-laden alternatives. Jay had always been cautious of synthetic products, leaning instead toward more natural options, believing in their subtler touch on the body.
Beside the cup sat his herbal face wash—one of those modern, plant-based blends that had recently gained popularity, particularly among women. Still, there was no shame in using it—it was crafted for both genders.
An oversized towel hung neatly over the nearby rack, ready for use.
His dark brown eyes locked onto his own reflection—hollow and tired, framed by dark, restless circles. His face bore the unmistakable imprint of anxiety and unrest.
He bit his lip—hard enough to draw a sliver of blood—and whispered to his reflection, barely audible:
"Please… get out of my mind. Don't make me hurt anyone else—I beg you."
Without hesitation, he splashed his face with cold water, then grabbed the towel and pressed it firmly against his skin. He rubbed his face dry, breathing in slowly.
When he lowered the towel, the tormented expression was gone—replaced by one of quiet resolve. The sorrow had been buried; in its place stood focus, perhaps even defiance.
He reached for Mr. Hank's black, round sunglasses and slid them on with a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
"All right… time to go."
***
Jin woke up, his crimson eyes opening steadily. There was no trace of drowsiness in them. With calculated precision, his gaze swept across the room, scanning for even the slightest deviation. He had done the same before falling asleep—though he hadn't wanted to sleep in the first place. Eventually, however, sleep had claimed him.
His eyes continued their deliberate sweep until they stopped at the wall-mounted clock. Recalling Luke's lesson from the previous night, he quickly deduced the time: 7:12 in the morning.
Remembering Luke's advice about maintaining a human's daily routine, Jin reluctantly began his unwelcome journey to the bathroom, pausing only to pick up a toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste.
Another strange invention that hadn't existed in the world he once knew. Still, he had to admit—it was surprisingly useful. It made cleaning one's teeth efficient, and the herbal paste neutralized the lingering odor from a night of unsettling dreams.
Upon reaching the bathroom, he discovered that it was already occupied. Rather than wasting time waiting idly, he turned to head for the second one. But just as he was about to walk away, a sound caught his attention—muffled words from behind the closed door.
"Please… get out of my mind. Don't make me hurt anyone else—I beg you."
The voice was unmistakably Jay's.
'Is he possessed?'Jin asked himself.
But Jin hadn't observed anything in him that would suggest possession.
Yet, as he considered the possibility, Jin couldn't help but be reminded of his own circumstances.
Then he shook off the thought.
'Less than one in a million possess innate abilities,' he reminded himself.
It was foolish to think someone as weak as Jay might harbor one.
Just as these thoughts drifted through his mind, the bathroom door swung open. Jay stepped out, wearing sunglasses inside the mansion—early in the morning.
"Oh, umm… H-Hello. No—good morning."
His voice stumbled over itself, like that of a servant caught fleeing by his master.
But his nervousness wasn't entirely due to his timid nature. No, the cause lay in last yesterday's encounter—when he had overheard Jin performing what sounded eerily like an ancient, forbidden ritual. Such practices were strictly outlawed by ORDER.
And then there was Jin's story—one Luke had shared in quiet moments. To Jay, it sounded like something out of a bestselling novel: action, horror, mystery, adventure, even the occasional twist that left readers breathless.
Living in the Forbidden Land—famously known as the Land of Death. Possessing godlike power, only to have it stolen. Creating a new soul in defiance of natural law. Now stripped of emotions, walking among humans like a ghost.
At that moment, Jay couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration. In fact, he had become something of a fanboy.
"Would you move already?" Jin asked in a flat, emotionless tone.
"Oh—yes! Of course."
Jay immediately stepped aside, making way for Jin to enter the bathroom.
Then, for some inexplicable reason, he lingered—waiting.
Moments later, Jin emerged. His gaze briefly caught on Jay's gleaming, almost starstruck eyes. But fortunately, he didn't know how to be surprised.
"So, shouldn't you be getting dressed? We're going outside—don't you remember?" Jin said, his tone reminiscent of characters from a novel.
"Oh! Yes, of course."
"Then get moving."
***
Returning to his room, Jin approached the wardrobe—a sleek, cuboid structure crafted from polished darkwood, its design blending the elegance of the past era with subtle modern minimalism. Inside, a selection of finely tailored outfits hung in perfect order, each piece custom-made for him.
Without giving it much thought, Jin selected one at random.
He first slipped into a pair of deep green trousers, the fabric smooth and crisply pressed. Then came a pristine white dress shirt—spotless, with high, stiff collars that brushed his jawline. Over it, he donned a fitted black half-coat, its sharp tailoring hugging his form with quiet sophistication. A deep green tie followed, neatly knotted at the throat, complementing the ensemble with refined harmony. Finally, he layered on a matching deep green suit jacket, its silver buttons gleaming faintly in the morning light.
To complete the look, Jin reached for a black bowler hat resting atop a nearby shelf. He placed it on his head with an effortless grace, the finishing touch to a look that straddled the line between timeless class and modern elegance.
He didn't pick up a cane, as was common in the current fashion trend, nor did he bother with gloves. But he did put on a pair of polished black leather shoes, the short cuffs of his deep green trousers resting just above them with calculated elegance.
Now fully dressed, Jin moved with quiet steps toward the grand entrance of the mansion, where Luke and Jay were already waiting.
"Took you long enough," Luke remarked, arms crossed.
"You look good," Jay added, his tone a mix of admiration and relief.
But they weren't alone.
Another figure stood beside them—a young man similarly dressed in the latest fashion. His attire mirrored Jin's in sophistication but was adorned with subtle additions: a pair of dark gloves, a sleek ebony cane topped with a silver head, and a pocket watch tucked into his waistcoat. A delicate golden chain stretched from the watch to a button on his inner vest, gleaming faintly with each movement.
"Oh my, the fashion of today suits you quite well," the gentleman said with a refined smile.
"And you are?" Jin asked, his tone measured, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Oh dear, how rude of me. I haven't introduced myself, have I?" The man gave a polite bow, graceful and practiced. "I am Nell. It's a pleasure to meet you all."
"And why are you in Nameless?" Luke asked, a note of suspicion in his voice.
He doesn't know him? Jin thought, his crimson eyes narrowing slightly.
Jin had assumed Luke would recognize the man. Luke had lived in the Nameless Domain far longer than anyone else in their group—long enough to be familiar with every soul that passed through. If even he didn't know this Nell, then who exactly was this man?
"Huh? Did Lord Albedo not inform you?" Nell tilted his head slightly, as if genuinely surprised.
"Inform us of what?"
Nell gave a light chuckle, then straightened his posture with renewed elegance.
"Well then, allow me to reintroduce myself properly. I am Nell—your guide to the city."
***
The group followed Nell out of the Nameless Domain, passing once more through the blinding, irritating gate of pure light.
However, they didn't enter the Holy City through the same path Jin and Jay had originally taken. Instead, they arrived at a different location—slightly farther from the city's world-renowned marketplace.
There, waiting patiently by the roadside, stood a four-wheeled beast-drawn carriage, its polished frame glinting under the morning sun, the harnessed creatures snorting softly as if eager to move.